Invited Speaker: The VB-MAPP Generative Learning Assessment: A Verbal Behavior Approach to Language Generativity belongs in serious BCBA study because it shapes whether behavior-analytic decisions stay useful once they leave a clean training example and enter language assessment, teaching sessions, caregiver coaching, and natural communication routines. In Invited Speaker: The VB-MAPP Generative Learning Assessment: A Verbal Behavior Approach to Language Generativity, for this course, the practical stakes show up in clearer case conceptualization, better instructional targets, and stronger generalization, not in abstract discussion alone.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via The Speech Pathology Applied Behavior Analysis (SPABA)
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Join Free →Language generativity is a critical feature of typical verbal development, yet it is often absent or limited in children with autism or other developmental disabilities. The VB-MAPP Generative Language Assessment (GLA) is a behavior-analytic tool designed to identify specific repertoires that support generative language. Grounded on Skinner's (1957) analysis of verbal behavior and supported by recent research, the GLA includes multiple domains across three levels. This presentation will introduce the conceptual framework underlying the GLA, outline the structure and organization of the tool, and describe its scoring procedures. Selected domains, such as joint attention, generalized imitation, and bidirectional naming, will be highlighted to illustrate how the assessment captures critical behavioral cusps. Attendees will gain an understanding of how the GLA can be used to identify missing repertoires and support the development of generative verbal behavior in applied settings. IMPORTANT NOTE: This presentation will only be available for viewing through 4/23/2026. Please note that BACB CEs are available for synchronous AND asynchronous viewing, while ASHA CEs are available for synchronous viewing only.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | General |
| ASHA | 0.1 | — |
| COA | 1 | — |
| PDH | 1 | — |
Dr. Andresa De Souza is an Associate Professor at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, where she directs graduate training in Applied Behavior Analysis. She currently serves as President of the Verbal Behavior Special Interest Group (VB SIG) of ABAI and as an Associate Editor for The Analysis of Verbal Behavior. She also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Dr. De Souza earned her Master’s degree in Behavior Analysis and Therapy from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and her Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Marcus Autism Center and Emory University in Atlanta. Her clinical and research work focuses on verbal behavior, generative language development, and the identification of foundational behavioral cusps that support flexible and emergent learning. She is a co-developer of the VB-MAPP Generative Learning Assessment (GLA) and is actively involved in national and international training initiatives. Dr. De Souza has extensive experience in early intervention, assessment and intervention of interfering behavior, autism diagnosis, and the supervision and training of behavior analysts across clinical and international settings.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
280 research articles with practitioner takeaways
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
258 research articles with practitioner takeaways
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.